Sprunk and eCola were competing against each other in the market but in real life, Sprite and Coca-Cola are both owned by the same company.

Grand Theft Auto V

In Grand Theft Auto V, the player can purchase and drink eCola cans that can be bought from convenience stores and vending machines. There is also a version of eCola known as eCola Light, as seen in GTA V on soda dispensers in convenience stores.

eCola is mentioned, according to a website in GTA V, to have been founded in the late 19th century, and to have used cocaine as an ingredient before substituting with sugar. This is a nod to the original history of Coca-Cola, which was created in the late 19th century (1886, more specifically), and used to have cocaine, as it was originally intended as a medicinal product).

DJ George on Radio Mirror Park mentioned that the station is sponsored by eCola, which is now available in the retro 1950s bottle.

Influence

The eCola name is a play on the E. coli bacteria and the Ebola virus; the company's slogan even states the drink is "Deliciously infectious!", which could imply that the drink is contaminated.